Territorial Spirits

TERRITORIAL SPIRITS

The belief in ‘territorial spirits’ is a pagan concept that holds certain demonic spirits rule over specific geographic areas.

[S]ome Christians accept the notion of ‘territorial spirits’ as readily as pagans, the only difference being that they believe that such ‘spirits’ should be confronted through authoritative prayer and commands issued ‘in the Spirit’.– Source: Territorial Spirits, by Charles Hoole, Evangelicals Now, Mar. 1998

This idea is promoted by, among others, adherents of Kingdom Now theology, which holds that Jesus can not return unless and until “the Church” subdues and rules the earth.

The concept’s main proponent is C. Peter Wagner, who has influenced countless Christians — mainly within Evangelical, Charismatic and Pentecostal traditions — to wage spiritual warfare against what they view as ‘spiritual strongholds.’ Many Christians have also been influenced by descriptions of angels, demons, and spiritual warfare in the fictional books of Frank E. Peretti. Simplified examples of the battle against territorial spirits may include believers praying against the ‘Spirit of Lust’ over Amsterdam’s Red Light District, against a ‘Spirit of Greed’ over portions of Las Vegas, or ‘Spirits of Witchcraft’ over sections of New Orleans.

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Many evangelicals act as if the enemy does not exist. In preaching and teaching
and our daily lives, we act as if Satan and his forces are not a problem. We go
about our business as if the evil in the world is explainable in some way other
than that there is an enemy behind it.”

I like the “devices”— methodeía— discussion around p15 I believe its true though I’ve seen it in other works as well IMO the prayers for binding territorial spirits as warfare are a good response to the organized methodeía (methods) of the devil

While not intended to be exhaustive, I will offer
the following short-list of Satanic stratagems I believe church members need to be aware of lest
they be outwitted by the evil one (see 2 Cor 2:11): seduction (Mt. 4:8-9); deception (2 Cor. 11:2-
5, 13-15); alienation (Eph. 4:26-27); intimidation (Rev. 2:10, 13); distraction (Mt. 16:21-23);
hesitation (Acts 4:34–5:11); and accusation/condemnation (Rev. 12:10).

Joe Absher So, the difference-making take-away is this: while we can and should encourage church
members to acknowledge the ability of evil to work through historical, this worldly, societal
customs and institutions, we must also emphasize that it’s because our struggle is ultimately
supernatural in nature—involving a very serious conflict with a host of evil spiritual entities—
that we need to take very seriously the call for us to “put on the full armor of God”

If get out in any city you’ll see natural demarcation lines. One side of the street they’ll openly use drugs. On the other side of the street there will be an overwhelming police response to a call of petty theft. It sarcastically tell the fellas on the block you can do whatever you want but don’t mess with these people’s money.
Any elected official has power and influence over laws and enforcement, culture and ethics
But ultimately for the christian I believe it’s about souls and families and not so much about “turf”
I heard some numbers once, if a child comes to Christ the family will come to Christ something like 20% of the time. if a mother comes to Christ the family will come to Christ something like 50% of the time. But if the father comes to Christ it’s something like 70 or 80%. That was before the modern era and the devastation of the home.
And any broader influence or “revival” has always been preceeded by the teaching of sanctification and a desire for purity in the church. That is a love and devotion to Jesus Christ the Saviour

members of our churches need to be encouraged to believe that
spiritual warfare is an ongoing reality that all of us have been, are, and will continue to
experience. Though the Bible seems to suggest that the intensity of this supernatural conflict may
increase as the time of Christ’s return draws near (e.g., see Rev. 2:10-11; cf. 12:12) we must not
defer our getting serious about putting on the armor of God to a later time. Indeed, an argument
could be made for the idea that one’s ability to function in the armor of God then is very much
dependent upon our being careful to learn how to do so now!

“And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,
That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;
And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.”
– Judges 6:7-10

Isn’t there something about the Hebrew word translated ‘demons’ in the verse that says the gods of the nations are demons that could be translated or interpreted to mean ‘territorial spirits.’ I’ve heard that concept, and it could be where the term comes from.